Republic Day-like parade to mark Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birthday, Modi to receive salute

AS the authorities celebrates the 150th nativity day of remembrance of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a grand Republic-Day the like exhibit involving contingents of all the central paramilitary forces, several states’ police, tableaux of over a dozen states as well as demonstrations by indigenous dog breeds will be held on October 31 in Gujarat’s Ekta Nagar.Prime Minister Narendra Modi will receive the ceremonial salute for the parade. The Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade has been celebrated every year for the past 11 years but never at this scale before.The PM will also receive the salute from 16 Border Security Force (BSF) personnel who won gallantry medals for their participation in Operation Sindoor between May 7 to 10, which was India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack to Pakistan.A full-dress rehearsal for the parade took place on Wednesday near the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, in which contingents from Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashstra Seema Bal (SSB), police from Assam, Tripura, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and the National Cadet Corps took part. The parade rehearsals also featured cavalry and camel-mounted contingents, demonstrations by indigenous dog breeds - Rampur Hounds and Mudhol Hounds - and various martial arts and unarmed combat drills. An air show by the Indian Air Force’s Surya Kiran Team will also be part of parade.The full dress rehearsal was inspected and witnessed by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Intelligence Bureau director Tapan Deka on Wednesday.Home minister Amit Shah is also expected to hold a press conference on the event on Thursday in Patna.The parade commander for this year’s event is Simran Bhardwaj, a 2022 batch IPS officer of Gujarat the cadre, while the contingents of the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB and state police forces such as Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, among others, are also being led by the woman officers.October 31 is the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, India’s first deputy prime minister and home minister. The day is being celebrated as the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas ever since the Modi government came to power as Patel is remembered for his pivotal role in unifying the country after Independence. His efforts included the merger of 562 princely states into India, laying the foundation of a modern country, the ministry of home affairs said.Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Bhardwaj said :“It is an honour and great opportunity to participate in the parade on a historical occasion.”“We are very excited for the parade. This is for the first time that I am going to participate in a parade outside Jammu and Kashmir and that too before the Prime Minister,” said Nadiya Farooq, an officer of the Kashmir Police Service, leading the contingent of the Union Territory.Garima Dadar, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, is leading the contingent of the Chhattisgarh Police. Dadar said that she was selected from a group of young officers of her state after a rigorous process. “I am proud that I am going to lead the Chhattisgarh Police contingent at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade here”.Besides the Ekta parade, various other programmes are organised across the country, recalling Sardar Patel’s contribution to unifying India.The MHA said that Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations “aim at highlighting the spirit of national unity, harmony and patriotism, inspiring citizens to embrace these values. All citizens are encouraged to actively participate and be part of this grand and auspicious celebration.”“From November 1 to 15, 2025, Ekta Nagar will host the Bharat Parv, featuring cultural performances and a food festival from different states,” the MHA said.